Violin support member



Oct. 6, 1936. G. P. BODEE 2,056,819

VIOLIN SUPPORT MEMBER Filed NOV. 16, 1955 INVENTOR.

Geo. BoAe e 7" ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 6, 1936 f U STATES PATENT OFFICE George P. Bodee, Chicago, Ill. Application November 16, 1935, Serial No. 50,177

3 Claims.

by aiding in'the support of the violin and successfully positioning. the string manipulating hand relative to the neck of the violin.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a detachable support member for the for- Ward end portion of a violin that may be easily and quickly adjusted.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a support member for violins that is economical in manufacture and durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilledin the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a violin with my device installed thereon.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of my support secured to a violin.

Fig. 3 is a front end view of my device on a violin.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of my device taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and more fully illustrates its construction.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of my support taken on line 55 of Fig. 3.

One of the most difiicult phases in learning to play a violin is the supporting of the forward end of the violin on the hand that fingers the strings. It is also diflicult for the student to gauge the proper positions of his fingers relative to the strings of the violin. I have overcome such troubles as will be appreciated.

Referring to the drawing, I have used the numeral l2 to designate the body portion of a violin. The numeral l3 designates the neck of such a violin. It is to such an instrument that I secure my device and which I will now explain. The numeral I4 designates the base portion of my device designed to be positioned on the bottom forward end portion of the body portion of a violin. If the user is right-handed this base I4 will be slightly to the right of the neck l3, as shown in Fig. l, and if the user is left-handed it will be slightly to the left of the violin neck. The numerals l5 and I6 designate two spaced apart threaded rods secured to and extending upwardly from the base portion l4 along the forward end wall of the violin, as shown in Fig. 3. The numeral ll designates a bar designed to be positioned on the top forward end portion of the violin body. The numerals l8 and I9 designate two spaced apart threaded rods secured to and extending downwardly from the bar l4 along the forward end wall of the violin, as shown in Fig. 3.

The numeralZO designates an ordinary e1ongated nut threaded on and extending between the threaded rods I5 and 18. The numeral 2| designates a similar elongated nut threaded on and'extending between the threaded rods "5 and I9. As is well known, such nuts have oppositely extending internal threads at each end portion in order that when they are rotated in one direction the two rods they engage will be brought toward each other and when rotated in theother direction the rods will be forced away from each other. By this construction, when the nuts 20 and 2| are rotated in one direction the base l4 and bar ll will be drawn toward each other and if the body of the violin'is between these two members as shown in the drawing, the base [4 will be rigidly clamped and held on the bottom of the violin body. To remove the device from the violin it is merely necessary to rotate the nuts in the other direction to separate the base and bar from clamped condition on the violin.

The numeral 22 designates an elongated fiat sleeve bearing member on the bottom of the base 14. Slidably mounted in this sleeve bearing is the rear end portion of a flat bracket arm 23. This bracket extends forwardly parallel with the bearing 22 and then downwardly and forwardly, as shown in Fig. 1. The numeral 24 designates ratchet teeth on the marginal side edge of the rear portion of the bracket arm, as shown in Fig. 2. The numeral 25 designates a leaf spring catch member having one of its ends secured to the base I4 and its other end capable of engaging the teeth of the bracket arm 23. The ratchet teeth of the arm 23 are such that the spring catch 25 not only yieldingly prevents the outward sliding movement of the bracket arm, but definitely prevents the inward sliding movement of the bracket arm, as shown in Fig. 2.

By this arrangement, when it is desired to adjustably move the arm 23 rearwardly into the bearing 22, it is first necessary to manually hold the spring catch out of engagement with the teeth 24. This means that during the use of my device the arm 23 cannot he accidentally moved rearwardly into the sleeve bearing 22. The arm 23 may be slid outwardly for adjustment without manually releasing the spring catch. To facilitate the manual actuation of the spring catch 25 when it is desired to adjustably move the arm 24 rearwardly, I have found the spring catch to extend downwardly substantially below the plane of the bearing 22, where it may be easily grasped by the thumb or finger. The numeral 26 designates a plate element operatively rotatably mounted on the outer free end of the arm 23 by the loose rivet 21. This plate element extends upwardly and forwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, to conform with the shape and position of the wrist portion of the user. It may be covered with a padding cover 28, as shown in the drawing. The plate element and its covering may be of any suitable size or shape, but I recommend a marginal outline similar to that shown in Fig. 3. By reversing the curvature to a concave outline at the top portion of this portion of the device that engages the wrist, the wrist or hand may be successfully used to finger the strings without interference from the plate and its cover. Also, it will be noted that the plate and its pad covering will rotate with any lateral movement of the wrist due to its rotatable connection to the bracket arm 23.

From the foregoing, it will readily be seen that when my device is installed on a violin the front of the violin may be successfully supported on the wrist portion of the user and without interfering with the normal average use of the hand fingering the strings. Also, the hand fingering the strings will have an accurate gauge for properly positioning the hand relative to the length of the strings of the violin.

This is highly desirable for those learning to play the violin. The position of the plate and pad covering is substantially forward of the forward end of the body of the violin. It is also in a plane substantially below the plane of the body of the violin. However, different people will require an adjustmentof the distance of the plate and plate covering from the body of the violin and this is easily accomplished by the employment of the teeth 24 and catch 25, hereinbefore described. Also, an individual may require a difierent adjustment in the playing of different pieces of music.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved violin support member without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a base member designed to be secured to a violin, a bearing sleeve secured to said base member, a bracket arm having one of its end portions slidably mounted in said bearing sleeve, ratchet teeth on said bracket arm, and a yieldable finger element in engagement with said ratchet teeth.

2. In a device of the class described, a base member designed to be detachably secured to a violin, a bearing sleeve secured to said base member, a bracket arm slidably mounted in said bearing sleeve having its outer end portion extending first forwardly and then forwardly and downwardly, a wrist engaging member secured to the forward end of said bracket arm, teeth on said bracket arm, and a spring catch member on said base member capable of engaging any one of said teeth.

3. In a device of the class described a base member designed to be detachably secured to a violin, a bracket arm having its rear end longitudinally slidably mounted on said base member, a wrist engaging element rotatably secured to the forward end of said bracket arm, teeth on said bracket arm and a spring catch member capable of engaging said teeth.

GEORGE P. BODEE. 

